Does base rock kill live rock?

[Diogenes]

Okay quick question.

I'm in the process of setting up a tank. I am considering adding dead base rock, and then adding regular live rock, and maybe even a few pieces of choice premium rock. I spoke to someone recently who thought that the dead dry rock would cycle and kill the live rock. Is this correct? Could I add the two together or should I do one or the other?

 

[Wiggles92]

Okay quick question.

I'm in the process of setting up a tank. I am considering adding dead base rock, and then adding regular live rock, and maybe even a few pieces of choice premium rock. I spoke to someone recently who thought that the dead dry rock would cycle and kill the live rock. Is this correct? Could I add the two together or should I do one or the other?

The dead rock has next to no living organisms on it, so you don't have to worry about it killing the live rock. The dead rock will eventually become seeded and will become live rock, so it will not stay dead forever.

On the other hand, you will get some die off of the live rock during a cycle; this is a normal occurrence with cycling and helps to establish the biological filtration that the live rock provides.

 

[Diogenes]

The dead rock has next to no living organisms on it, so you don't have to worry about it killing the live rock. The dead rock will eventually become seeded and will become live rock, so it will not stay dead forever.

On the other hand, you will get some die off of the live rock during a cycle; this is a normal occurrence with cycling and helps to establish the biological filtration that the live rock provides.

thanks for the quick answer. That's what I thought. I guess I should have considered the fact that the guy I was talking to was selling live rock not dead rock.

So you think it's probably ok to buy say 50lbs of base rock, and 50-90lbs of live rock and let it cycle naturally? Any idea on how long that might take?

 

[Wiggles92]

thanks for the quick answer. That's what I thought. I guess I should have considered the fact that the guy I was talking to was selling live rock not dead rock.

So you think it's probably ok to buy say 50lbs of base rock, and 50-90lbs of live rock and let it cycle naturally? Any idea on how long that might take?

How many gallons does you aquarium hold? The general guideline is 1 lbs. of live rock per gallon, but it's definitely not set in stone; more is usually better, but less can be fine, too, if the aquarium is stocked accordingly. How porous the rock is factors in, too; highly porous rock has more surface area therefore less is need while denser rock has less surface area and more is need to do the job that a smaller quantity of highly porous rock can do.

The time that cycling takes varies from aquarium to aquarium, but it shouldn't take more than a month or two for the aquarium to fully cycle. However, it will take weeks, if not months, for the dead rock to become live rock, so be sure to stock the aquarium accordingly in order to avoid overloading the biological filtration that's provided by the live rock.

 

[TMartinez]

The dead rock has next to no living organisms on it, so you don't have to worry about it killing the live rock. The dead rock will eventually become seeded and will become live rock, so it will not stay dead forever.

On the other hand, you will get some die off of the live rock during a cycle; this is a normal occurrence with cycling and helps to establish the biological filtration that the live rock provides.

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